Dictionaries are, of course, very useful references. Users often rely on a dictionary when looking up the meanings of unknown words. Dictionaries are constantly being updated having new words added and obsolete words removed. This updating takes time and manpower. This is not a problem for written language dictionaries, since a written language such as English does not change so rapidly that dictionary writers cannot keep up. A relatively recent and accurate English dictionary is not hard to find.
The situation is different in technical fields such as medicine or computer technologies. These technical fields are rapidly changing, and as a result relatively obscure jargon is the norm for specialists in these fields. Even an expert in a given field can become quickly overcome by the jargon, especially when exploring only slightly different fields of expertise. For example, a networking protocol engineer may have to undergo significant background research to understand the latest concepts in microprocessor design.
The use of jargon can become especially troublesome when the common practice of acronyms and abbreviations are factored in. The meanings of abbreviations (which are a superset of acronyms) are not usually apparent on their face. Further, two or three letter abbreviations are common, leading to a duplication of many abbreviations, even within the same specialty.
Although typical dictionaries may include some abbreviation forms, such abbreviations are only included when widely adopted in the language. To cover abbreviations used in a particular field of expertise would require a specialized dictionary. However, specialized dictionaries are not always available. Even so, in rapidly changing technological fields, the acronyms and abbreviations may be created faster than they can be added to such a dictionary.
An apparatus and method that address the aforementioned problems, as well as other related problems, are therefore desirable.